


Of Awkward Christmas Encounters

by Reylinne



Series: Can't Be Saved - Modern Harringrove AU [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Billy Hargrove Is Bad at Feelings, Billy is awkward at familial events, Billy with his two sisters Max and Eleven, Christmas Fluff, Good Parent Joyce Byers, Harringrove, Hopper made Billy and Eleven take a Christmas Card Photo, It's Christmas time bitches, M/M, Part of the Can't Be Saved Universe, Soft Billy Hargrove, Will Byers & Billy Hargrove Friendship, Will Byers Deserves Love, if you do celebrate!!, so happy holidays, with whatever you celebrate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21958345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reylinne/pseuds/Reylinne
Summary: "You made it. How wonderful,"Jim Hopper, 'dad', is the first to acknowledge his entrance.Billy scoffs, dismissing him."Ms. Byers, your house is simply exquisite with all of these decorations," Billy lies through his teeth, gesturing pleasantly to all of the gaudy snowflakes, garland, and holly hanging from every single corner of the house.View the Hopper FamilyChristmas Card HerePart of the Modern!AU inCan't Be Saved:)
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Can't Be Saved - Modern Harringrove AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1524557
Comments: 5
Kudos: 67





	Of Awkward Christmas Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers for[Can't Be Saved,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15056648/chapters/34905821) read that first for characterization to make more sense :)**
> 
> This was supposed to be a lot longer, but suddenly, it's Christmas day. So, here's an extremely skeletal rough draft of what should have been a better ficlet about Billy learning how to be a part of a family. So maybe I'll add more to this, because it was originally supposed to cover a lot more ground. Ooops! Anyway,

"Breathe, Billy,"

Inhale. 

Exhale.

_ You got this. _

The door opens before he can even knock.

Bowl-Cut answers the door.

"Hi...Billy," the boy's voice is quiet, almost a whisper. He looks quickly from meeting Billy's eyes to his shirt, to his feet. Anything but eye contact. A shy smile spreads across his face.

"Hey," Billy replies, awkwardly holding a shitty bouquet basket of Poinsettias that cost him two days' wages. He hesitates before shoving it at the kid, whose face flushes as the blond passes by him into the house.

As soon as Billy enters the small dining room, a whole cast of characters turns their heads to make eyes at him.

"You made it. How wonderful,"

Jim Hopper,  _ 'dad',  _ is the first to acknowledge his entrance. 

Billy scoffs, dismissing him.

"Ms. Byers, your house is simply exquisite with all of these decorations," Billy lies through his teeth, gesturing pleasantly to all of the gaudy snowflakes, garland, and holly hanging from every single corner of the house. 

Will trots in with the bouquet, holding it out to his mother.

"They were originally for you," Billy smirks at Joyce while she’s scooping the flowers from her son and giving Billy possibly the most warm smile he's ever seen. "But Will is just too cute. Couldn't resist." He plasters on a wide smile, glancing over at the boy squirming as he stands. 

Billy hasn't missed the way Will gets left out of everything these past few months of getting to know all of these ridiculous kids. Hasn't missed the way he dresses, the curious questions he's asked Billy in confidence 'for a friend', and most importantly, the photo of Harry Styles gracing his phone's wallpaper.

Harry Styles is a treat.

Billy gets it.

Joyce gives him a hug before he takes a seat in between Jane and Max.

"Hi," Billy nods to Steve from across the table, kicks his feet underneath. 

"Hi back," Steve smiles that stupid smile of his that makes Billy melt into a puddle. But Billy knows he's in for it. Because he's been leaving his boyfriend on read for the last two weeks much too frequently, and there's a glimmer of hostility in the brunet's eyes.

It's always something.

"Did you see it?"

It's Jane. 

She's picking something out of her teeth.

"Did you guys already eat?" Billy narrows his eyes, darting his glance over to to Joyce, who is making a face.

"They  _ shouldn't  _ have!" She barks, lightly punching a laughing Will on the shoulder. 

"Did you  _ see  _ it, brother?" Jane huffs out in between bouts of laughter. 

Billy arches an eyebrow. This sounds menacing. The table snickers, all except for Jane, who is fully laughing with bright eyes.

"Did I see  _ what? _ " Billy says darkly.

Max slides an envelope across the table. It bumps into Billy's fuzzy-sleeved arm.

Fuck.

The second he sees it, he knows immediately what it is. His eyes flick over to Hopper, who has his hand up to muffle his laughter.

"Fuck sake," Billy grumbles to the amusement of everybody else. "You told me you wouldn't send it out!"

"Relax," Harrington kicks him a little harder than perhaps he'd intended. Or maybe he intended every bit of force he’d exerted and he's just a douchebag. 

"Don't tell me what to do," Billy points a ringed finger at Steve, who's giggling like a young girl.

"Billy," Joyce rests her hands on his shoulders from behind, and it's such a soft, affectionate touch that Billy literally can't be angry. He hates that she's so kind. Ruins his vibe. "He only gave me one because we're friends. Hop didn't give one to anyone else."

"Friends," Billy snorts. "Ha."

Joyce goes silent behind him and Hopper coughs violently.

Billy's only been under the chief's roof for around four months, but in that time, he's definitely figured out just  _ how much _ Hopper appreciates his good friend Joyce. 

Good friend.

He's  _ madly in love _ with the woman.

Billy isn't an idiot.

Every once in awhile, Jane will assist Billy in tearing Hop a new asshole over it, teasing him mercilessly. But he never gives in,  _ never  _ admits it. He says they were close once, in high school maybe, and Billy thinks they have some sort of weird secret. Sometimes he can hear Jim on the phone late at night, talking with Joyce in hushed tones. 

Once, the chief had threatened to kick him out for listening in on their conversation, and the way that Hopper had reacted had reminded Billy of Neil. He'd cried, like the stupid bitch he is. Texted Steve to come pick him up like a fucking  _ baby _ , and then refused to speak to Hop for a week and a half. It was bullshit, and they don't talk about it. Billy can be petty but the rage in Hop's eyes over a little childish eavesdropping was ridiculous. Especially since it didn't even sound important. Science talk or something. Numbers and labs. And Will, a little bit. But nothing dramatic. 

Billy had spent his November applying for jobs. He'd applied at Garvey's auto for both desk work and mechanic work, applied at the record shop downtown and the coffee shop down the street from that and even the Starbucks inside Target. And none of them had called him back yet, so he's even considered applying at the drive-in where Steve works. 

Steve would kill him.

Steve would  _ really  _ kill him.

It's whatever, Billy enjoys being a customer there and turning Harrington's cheeks red with embarrassment in front of his coworkers who he yearns so hard to earn respect from. 

"Who is ready for some cheesy potatoes? I know I am!" Will exclaims to Joyce's desperate relief. She stands and starts to collect dishes from the kitchen.

Steve rises to tail her, and seeing this, Billy follows quickly and pushes him back to his seat. "Billy what are you-"

"Shush, pretty boy. Chill out just  _ one  _ time,"

Steve makes a face that ends up driving Billy to kiss his forehead. Like, it literally made him do it. An imaginary force or some shit. And Harrington has that dumb expression he wears when he’s annoyed but also weirdly enamoured. Billy doesn’t get it. It simultaneously makes him want to jump his bones and also punch the fucker’s jaw to the back of his head.

“Sorry for causing a scene. I really didn’t mean to make anything a big deal,” Billy sputters, slightly startling Joyce, who clearly hadn’t expected anyone to go along with her. Or at least hadn’t expected  _ Billy _ to be the one to.

Her initially bothered look morphs into something super soft - almost cringeworthy - before she reaches out to envelope Billy into a hug. He absolutely  _ abhors _ when she does this, making him feel appreciated and shit. It’s something he still hasn’t gotten used to in the past four months. He can’t pretend he doesn’t have a conversation in his text inbox with Joyce Byers, asking her advice about how to let people in, how to give gifts, how to open up to others. But that’s  _ why _ he  _ texts _ her and doesn’t come over or ask her to get coffee or something.

Would it be weird to ask her to get coffee? 

Would people think they’re...an  _ item _ ? 

No. It’s not weird to have older friends, right?

Billy doesn’t have friends.

Wait.

Right?

The blond shrugs off his conflicting thoughts and quickly shakes the mere idea of voluntarily subjecting himself to dealing with substitute motherly affection.

It’s not like he doesn’t crave it.

In fact, that’s really skimming the top.

Fuck, Billy just wants to be loved.

But it’s difficult, adjusting to this new life he has. It’s been six months since he graduated, and since then, his life has completely toppled to the ground like a child’s tower stacked of toilet paper, cards, dominoes, what have you. He’s suddenly got another sister who barely leaves this strange cabin they live in, a new father figure in the Hawkins Chief of Police whom he butts heads with  _ constantly _ , a boyfriend who is the actual most beautiful human being to walk this galaxy, and this weird mother-son relationship with the weirdo Jonathan Byers’ fucking mom.

“It’s okay, Billy. I know that you’re self conscious about…” She pulls away and gestures loosely with a hand, “...sentiment.”

Understatement.

Billy makes a sound that might have came out as a laugh if he’d let it. “You know, this is my first ever Christmas dinner. My uh... _ Neil _ ...used to kick me out of the house while they celebrated holidays. And I didn’t mind. I’d always find something better to do anyway. Not like I had gifts waiting for me or anything.”

Joyce frowns, and it might just be the most pathetic and pitying frown Billy’s ever seen in his goddamn life and the fact that it’s directed towards something that came from his own mouth makes him want to stab a serving fork directly through his eye socket. “From now on, you’re welcome here. Always,” She places a hand on his shoulder, letting her thumb rub a small circle against his collarbone and suddenly he’s soft.

Fuck this.

“ _ Always. _ You hear me?”

Billy turns his attention away from her, because he’s got something in his eye, stupid eyelashes. Like, why do those even  _ exist? _ All they do is just get in your fucking eye when they’re supposed to be-

“Billy. Look at me,”

And her other hand is now on his chin, directing his gaze back towards her. She doesn’t even look surprised when he sees a tear - er, eyelash - fall from his eye, just wipes it away with her sleeve and wraps an arm around his shoulder. Or at least attempts to. She’s so short. It’s cute. “Okay,” he whispers, pulling out his phone to check his appearance.

Dinner goes okay, and despite the fact that Jane has propped the Christmas Card up in the middle of the table, Billy actually might be  _ enjoying _ himself. And maybe even the company of others. He’s glad Mike isn’t here, glad Jonathan is nowhere to be seen. He’s a bit surprised that Neil had allowed Max to come to their meal, but he’s grateful nonetheless. It’s pleasant to be surrounded by people he doesn’t completely despise, people he  _ might _ even enjoy the presence of. 

Who knows.

It’s a new thing.

For some disgusting reason, Harrington was allowed to pick the first movie. And Billy had argued about it until Jane smashed his face with a pillow. However, karma struck hard when the film he chose was that Frosty the snowman cartoon from the ‘60s. Billy suggested Diehard, because of course he did, and Hopper had actually sided with him. Earned him a pillow to the noggin as well, courtesy of his  _ good friend _ Joyce.

Billy smacks himself in the forehead in the kitchen, absolutely feeling like his eyes are about to melt out of their place in his skull from watching three movies in a row. He pours himself a cup of coffee - or rather, a cup of creamer with a splash of coffee - and jogs in place to try to wake himself back up. As he turns to head back out into the living room, he practically jumps out of his skin when he sees Will standing there.

“Can we...talk for a second?”

No.

“Sure, kid, what do you need?”

Will glances around sheepishly, like he’s about to spill plans to throw someone a surprise birthday party. “Wanna sit?” He points to a corner of the kitchen and  _ not  _ the table and chairs about two feet away from where they’re currently standing.

Billy nods even though his entire brain is screaming to abort because this seems  _ serious _ and Billy does  _ not _ like serious. The two sit in silence for a moment or two before Will suddenly blurts out, “I like boys.”

_ Clunk _ .

Billy’s head hits the refrigerator with a sigh. Is this supposed to be a secret? “Okay,” He mumbles, really unsure where to take this. He gets that it probably took all of the courage in the entire universe for the kid to divulge that tidbit, but he’s literally the worst person to give advice.

“Okay,” Will repeats, sounding like the weight of the world has been lifted from his shoulders. “Okay.”

The pair idle again temporarily before Will interrupts the peace once more. 

“How do I be like you, Billy?”

Billy's stomach twist into about six separate knots. “You don’t want to be like me, kid. I’m a mess,”

“But Steve loves you so much,”

A rush of warmth overcomes him then, because yeah, Steve  _ does  _ love him, doesn’t he? “Doesn’t mean anything about how I deal with my own shit,”

“You’re so confident,” Will’s voice is hushed, and Billy lets his eyeline fall back to the younger boy, who is staring blankly at the wall across the room. “I want to be proud.”

Thinking on it for a moment, Billy pokes his middle finger against Bowl-Cut’s thigh. “You have to make your own pride. Be your own strength. I’m still standing on shaky ground and I’ve been through a whole plane of Oblivion,”

“Did you just make an Elder Scrolls reference?”

A smile tugs at Billy’s cheeks. “Sure did,”

“Thought you didn’t like video games,”

“No, I like  _ good _ video games,”

“Me too. We must have similar taste,” Will’s grin is taking up half of his face now, and even though their little discussion was short lived, it seems to maybe have helped the dude a bit.

After Will leaves to go rejoin the others in the living room, Billy notices Harrington lingering in the threshold. “Are you going to just stand there?” He calls out to the brunet, who acts surprised he’d been addressed. “Come over here, douchebag,”

“Are you going to tell me why you’ve been ignoring me?” Steve trots over and collapses to the floor, practically falling into Billy’s lap. He adjusts himself so he’s sitting to Billy’s right side with his legs strewn across his thighs, leaning against his shoulder. He’s so fucking precious it’s disgusting. “What did you guys talk about?”

“It’s just...me. I don’t know. I’ve been in a weird place,” Billy reaches a hand up to play with Steve’s thick hair, earning him a nuzzle and a kiss to the jaw. He could just fucking disintegrate. “And I’ll let him tell you if he wants to.” 

Harrington, in typical Harrington fashion, is too nice for his own good. “I’m really proud of you, you know,”

“Don’t even start-”

“No, seriously, stop. I hope you do know that all of these people...we all love you, Billy.”

“They barely know me,” Billy reaches up and digs underneath his black painted fingernails, removing his arms from around Steve, who clearly isn’t having it because he moves himself to crouch directly in front of the blond.

“You deserve to be known. They’re inviting you into this weird family that sometimes I even question. But we all want you here. You deserve this. You do.”

Billy scoffs, because what does Steve even know about it? He’s grown up with a silver spoon and a shit ton of money and a lot of...alone time and a lack of parental and familial guidance. 

So maybe he does know.

“I love you, Bills,” And the way he fucking says those stupid words, in front of Billy’s stupid face on this stupid floor with his stupid brown eyes blown all stupid just fucking  _ sucks _ and Billy is weak for him holy shit.

He presses those  _ stupid fucking _ soft lips of his to Billy’s nose and Billy pulls him into a hug. “Love you too, Harrington,”

Steve relaxes in his arms and stands, trying to pull the much heavier of the two up with him. “Cute, now let’s go. We’re watching Nestor,”

“Fucking hell, is that the one with the donkey?”

“Let’s gooooo,” Steve yanks on Billy’s arm, and Billy in turn pulls him back down to the floor.

“I’d rather set myself on fire,” Billy whines, finally giving in when Steve starts avoiding all of his kisses.

When they get into the living room, the movie has already started, and Jane waves Billy over to sit directly in between her and Max on the couch. “Saved you a spot, brother,” She grins broadly, and Max rests her head against him from the other direction. He must have nice shoulders or something. 

Huh.

Sisters.

Cute.

And when Harrington wraps his arms around Billy’s neck from behind and kisses his cheekbone softly, maybe he understands what it’s like to be loved.


End file.
